Beautiful coffin PJ Doland! I especially love how the components slide into each other. Does it come in different stain colors? Or… are you not too concerned about this, since it will be 6 feet under? :o)

Wow. I assumed this had to be a joke, but a visit to the Web site makes it clear these folks are deadly (ha) serious about do-it-yourself funerals. I respect people’s rights to do things the way they see fit, but this is one choice I would not make … I will leave some things up to the experts!

My grandfather used to build plywood boxes for people who wanted to “protect” their expensive coffins once they were in the ground. My uncle was upset because we purchased a coffin for my dad that was only guaranteed for 75 years. As an alcoholic smoker, he leaned towards coffins with 350 year guarantees (who would be around to cash in on the guarantee if it failed?) The funeral business is such nonsense that this makes it a little less ridiculous.

in “The Good Earth” by Pearl S Buck, the grandpa was comforted when the family bought a beautiful coffin and set it against the wall in his bedroom during his final few weeks of life. interesting cultural differences …

My great-great-grandfather was 6′ 6″ and had his coffin made while he was still alive so there would be one big enough available when he died. He was terrified they would chop off his legs to make him fit. The family used it as a chest for storage until he passed, when he was buried in it. Of course, I’m from the South and we’re more comfortable talking about death, at least in my admittedly macabre family.

I think these are genius, for the simple fact that there is no metal or other toxic substances to poison the Earth. After all, you are going to rot (ick, I know) no matter what you are in, why not be ecologically friendly while you do it!

I attended a funeral for a child, and the box was plain plywood wrapped and lined in a single layer of white fabric. It was the basic-level coffin that the funeral home provided for free (they often waive funeral fees for children and infants).

Of course it was bare-bones because it was free, but why on earth do adults need fancier boxes if those are fine for kids? Funerals are odd things.

You can be as sceptic as you want about this, but having worked in the funeral business, I can’t do anything else but cheer projects such as these. The ridiculous amount of money people waste on caskets is unbelievable. Especially considering that these things will be viewable for a couple of days and then just go on and rot in the ground. Think of all the wasted resources! It’s really quite absurd actually.

So, you’ve got my blessings here PJ. And I think Erin should be disqualified for writing Unitasker Wednesday considering how the coffin is probably the biggest, most expensive and most single-tasking thing ever invented.

I think this is brilliant. If it’s too much for Erin, though, how about a cardboard one? Enjoy it on halloween for a few years, use it for storing off season clothes the rest of the time, or just fold it up in the back of a closet until you need it again.